Launch Party Details

We have our launch party site. We will also use this space for shipping the Kickstarter material. It used to be a furniture store; now it's the world's biggest Ogre garage. (There's a photo at the bottom. This makes it look huge. It's huger.)

Since we've got the space anyway, and since a lot of people are coming a long distance, we are going to make this a two-day event: Saturday, October 19, and Sunday, October 20. Your membership covers both days.

For those who didn't sign up but wish they had, or for those who like the plan more now that Sunday is included, we are re-opening registrations for a limited time/number. We think we can accommodate about 100 more people in this space. Here's the link: http://www.sjgames.com/ogre/kickstarter/party/

The price is now $35. Not the early bird rate, but still a good deal . . . You'll get a shirt, an Ogre-imprinted swag bag with Ogre swag, and, of course, the event itself. If you are interested, sign up now. We will pull the plug either when it's around 100 OR when new registrations have slowed to a trickle. It's important to be able to finalize our list. So please don't wait. We may or may not even post a "very last chance!" update here.

Finding the Party

13776 N. US Highway 183Suite 105Austin, Texas 78750

It's in the Anderson Mill Shopping Center, but NOT on Anderson Mill Road. It's on Lake Creek Parkway. If you are headed north on 183, exit at Lake Creek Parkway, stay in the exit lane to make the left onto Lake Creek, then turn into the shopping center on the right.

This is a very car-friendly site; it's easy to get to, and the parking lot is huge. So if you're planning to take your Ogre home with you, all is well.

It is not terribly convenient to the airport. It's 23 miles north of the airport on US 183, so it's a bit of a trek in Friday afternoon traffic, but not too bad on Saturday morning. (We repeat: only a crazy person would take the Ogre box on a plane, so if you are coming by air, we hope it's just to play. Unless you have your own jet, in which case, can I have a ride sometime?)

Hours

The current plan is 10 to 10 on Saturday, and 10 to 7 or so on Sunday. Closing times might change. Opening times are solid.

Lodging and Food

There are decent hotels nearby. Info on those soon. There are several places to eat just across the parking lot.

Becky and I are heading up there that Friday night. We are looking for an internal entry safe hotel near by. Any suggestions are welcomed. It will be our girls' weekend away from kids and hubbies. We can't wait to get our game on and enjoy time with everyone! Of course, we are up for good food and other fun things. Yay for gamers!

Zoe - We have talked about setting up a videocast, at least for a little while, but no promises yet. (The first step is to make sure that we set up a local wireless that won't be overwhelmed by 300+ geeks who grok and use the Internet.)

Others - I am sorry. We don't plan to make the swag available separately. The whole plan was for it to be exclusive. We will probably have leftovers, and we might use them for contest prizes, extra gifts for the huge supporters, or something like that . . .

Brandon - send a note to brandon@sjgames.com with that question. (Yep, same name, small world, fnord.)

Is there a possibility of "virtual attendance" via Skype?
Due to new regulations by Homeland Security since September last year, I'm unable to get a visa for the US (UK passport says one thing, incorrect UK birth certificate another) and the air fare from Australia is a *bit* pricey anyway.

Furniture store?! What sort of furniture were they selling - four-poster beds? With all that space (and all that swag to handle) maybe SJG could run fork-lift trucks indoors - and use them for Car Wars contests after hours...

I foresee no chance of getting there myself. I am not seizure-prone either, but there may be some who are and whose enjoyment could be seriously hampered by a flickering fluorescent tube. Of course neither SJGames nor this specific event are dripping with excess cash, but perhaps the owner of the space would listen to an appeal for a few hundred dollars worth of new tubes, starters, and ballasts, plus two days of a journeyman electrician's time to get the lighting up to unworthy of notice in its unobtrusive stable effectiveness. Total cost should be well under a thousand, and that kind of maintenance can be a strong attractor of good tenants. :-)
Just a thought.

Oh, hey, good location. Wonko's is right there, you're pretty close to an Alamo Drafthouse, and anyone who attends this who does not trek west 2 miles on Ranch Road 620 to eat a sandwich at Noble Pig is seriously missing out. Seriously. They make everything on premise including the bread and the smoked duck pastrami is insane.